An independent Scotland will have a huge opportunity to benefit economically from renewable energy resources. Here are 12 images that help to visualise this growing sector.

1. Scotland has some of the largest potential renewable resources of any nation in Europe. A recent report valued this at 200,000 Gigawatt hours.

2. This image illustrates wind power potential around the UK. The North West and North East of Scotland have by far the highest levels of wind potential. This has led to several world leading offshore wind projects, including the recent project in the Moray Firth.

3. Scotland has had considerable success in expanding its renewables production since the establishment of the Scottish Parliament. Scotland is on track to meet its 100% target by 2020.

4. This expansion is only the beginning of Scotland’s renewables investment. This image illustrates the scale of future projects that are moving through the planning process.

5. The map above illustrates the range of offshore projects and test sites in operation around the Scottish coast.

6. Scotland’s renewables targets have expanded rapidly over a short period of time. Beyond 2020 there will be even greater opportunities to increase Scotland’s production of renewable energy.

7. The above 100% target was considered highly ambitious. Today Scotland is on track to meet the aim.

8. This is a graphic of an expanded network transmission system inside and outside Scotland. Transmission systems allow offshore renewables to be accessed on the mainland.

9. Offshore renewables has immense economic potential in terms of jobs, skills and investment. By 2020 the number of jobs in the offshore sector will have more than double in a decade.

10. The high projection for Scotland’s renewables by WWF suggests that Scotland’s green technology can replaced the dependence on nuclear sources of energy.

11. The Scottish Government has created a number of projects to encourage renewables innovation in Scotland.

12. This charts sets out multiple developments in government renewables policy during devolution.

Michael is Head of Research with Business for Scotland.
A graduate from the University of Glasgow, he has carried out a series of interviews with academics, politicians and the public in Denmark, Iceland and Ireland. Michael's on twitter @GrayInGlasgow.